Almost all people who are into bodybuilding know that protein is of prime importance both for building muscle and losing fat. What is less obvious is where you are best off getting it. Essentially, you have a choice between getting your essential nutrients from your diet, obtaining it from a product made of certified organic ingredients, or using a powder, bar or shake that is made of synthetic, “inorganic” ingredients. Let’s take a quick look at both of these options by comparing the differences between them.

The Pros and Cons of Organic Protein Sources

The main sources of anything that you would necessarily term organic protein are the foods we eat. For example, you can get protein from red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy, eggs, beans and nuts. You can also purchase it in the form of powders, shakes and bars that are derived from all natural organic ingredients. There are some advantages to using organic foods. You can be sure, for example, that you are not putting anything artificial into your body when you choose them – particularly if they are “certified” organic. In fact, you will know exactly what you are putting into your body. You can also be sure that what you ingest will not have a foul synthetic taste that can occur when eating foods treated with commercial pesticides and such.

However, there do appear to be some drawbacks associated with organic sources. It can be harder to measure the exact amount you are getting unless you use one of the products that are derived from whey (put it this way – if you look at a typical book on the market that measures things like % of nutrients in a 2,000 calories per day diet, you may not necessarily find these options listed). And, if you are getting your nutrients from organic foods, you may not always be able to eliminate saturated fat. For example, a nice grass-fed natural steak still has a high fat content even when you trim off the excess before cooking. Also, getting your required daily amounts from organic sources is not going to be easy if you are a vegetarian and even more-so as a vegan unless you are prepared to spend your entire life eating lentils (okay, perhaps that’s a little bit of an exaggeration).

The Pros and Cons of “Inorganic” Protein

The term “inorganic” is a little misleading since almost everything on the planet is derived from something “organic” in nature. What we are really talking about here are products that are not certified to be raised or created in accordance with certain guidelines that determine their “organic” nature. There may be synthetic ingredients or chemicals that, if you really begin to read labels, may not be something that you – as a health-conscious individual would want to eat. They are a common choice among vegans and vegetarians who want to lose weight and bulk up. They are also often chosen by bodybuilders who want to get the protein into their body without ingesting fats from meat and dairy products. However, these products might actually be hazardous to human health. Many powders may have dangerous levels of the heavy metals mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic. They may also be highly processed. Sometimes they are heated to the extent that the protein is denatured, making it nutritionally useless and actually toxic to the human body. Then there are powders that contain genetically modified substances, allergens and other nasties like aspartame, saccharin and other artificial flavors and preservatives. It’s easy to see why many people just say “no” to these products.

Organic is Best

From what had been laid down it should now be obvious that an organic source of protein is by far the better choice for bodybuilders and human beings in general. This is especially true since the human body doesn’t even recognize some of the stuff in some of these mixes. If you are bodybuilding, you need a gram of protein for every pound of your weight, otherwise you will lose muscle mass. You will also become severely malnourished and your body will not function as it should. Do what’s best for your body. You know what that is!